Static eliminator



ocrn s, -1929. H; L fHQMPSON 1,731,030

STM-Ic ELMINATOR Filed Feb. 8, 1927 across the discharge endof the nozzle.

Patented Oct. 8, 1929 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT THOMPSON, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO ADDjRESSOGRAP-H COMIANY, OF.CHI.CAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE . salario ELIMINATOR.

Application led February 8, l1927. Serial No. 166,689.

This invention relates to feeding sheets-of paper one at a time to a printing or other machine and'itsobject is .broadly to overcome the effect of static electricity which often prevents regular proper feeding.

I am aware of various elforts thathave been made heretofore to overcome the effect of the presence of static electricity in feeding sheets of paper, but there are objections to these eorts somen of which are far from being dependable.

It is the object of my invention to provide a novel and simple means whereby the objectionable elfect of the presenceof static electricity in feeding sheets of paper is entirely overcome without in any way interfering with the feeding operation.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a selected: embodiment of my improved static eliminator, and referring thereto Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partlyin section, showing a paperjfeed with my static eliminator'applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2- of Fig.' 1.

'f Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig..2. v

Referring to the drawings the paper feed comprises a pair of endless belts 4 between which the paper sheet 5 is fed-from a support 6. lMeans are, ofcourse, provided for causing the belts to travel,vbut such means are familiar in paper feeds and need not be illustrated or described.

The invention comprises a hood 7 which,

encloses the belts wherethey engage the paper. A nozzle 8 made of porcelain or. some other nonconducting Ymaterial is connected by a.`

2. rlwo electrical conductors 10, 10 supply current to electrodes l1, l1 which project' Valongside of the nozzle and are bent inwail'Tdlly e ends of the electrodes are spaced apart at the discharge end ofthe orice 12- in the nozzleto produce a jump spark in the jet of air `VI claim:

thereof. The jump spark constantly produced through the air jet at the discharge end of the nozzle has the effect of ionizing the air jet, and the ionized air sweeping across the sheet has the effect of throwing the air on the surfaces of the sheet out of electrical balance and absorbs the static electricity from the sheet. The hood 7 encloses the belts and sheet of paper for a. portion of their travel and serves to conine the ionized air and thus maintain 'a zone of ionized air in operative relation to both sides of the paper as it travels. This operation is performed without in any way interfering with the feed of the sheet and it has the effect of eliminating the static electricity whichis present to a greater or less extent on the sheet and thereby prevents interference with the proper and regular feed of the sheet which is commonly experienced when static electricity is present.

I have shown and described the invention in a simple form which I have found satisfactory, and I have indicated the use of the invention with a paper feed comprising endless belts, which is a common form of paper feed, but I do not restrict the invention to the particular forml illustrated or to its embodiment with any particular paper feed devices, for I am aware that'the invention may be applied to paper feeds of other kinds and that it maybe modified structurally to adapt it for vdifferent installations, and therefore, I reserve the right to make all such changes asfome within the scope of the following claims.

1. A static eliminator for paper feeds comprising means for discharginga jet of air at one edge of a paper` sheet being fed, the jet being divided to sweep across both surfaces 0f the sheet, and means for ionizing the air.

2. A static eliminator for paper feeds comprisingmeans connected to a source of air under-pressure and arranged adjacent the edge of the sheet to discharge a condenser jet of air transversely across each of the two surfaces of the paper sheet being fed, and nieans for ionizingthe condensedjet of air las it issues at the discharge end of the nozzle.

3. A static eliminator for paper feeds comprising an air nozzle connected to a source of air under pressure and arranged to discharge a jet of air across the surface. of a paper sheet being fed, and a pair of electrodes spaced apart on opposite sides of the condensed jet of air as it issues from the nozzle and close to the nozzle to ionize the air in the jet before p it reaches the sheet.

4. A static eliminator for paper feeds com-` prising an air nozzle connected to a source of air under pressure and arranged to dischar e a jet ofiair across the surface of a paper sheet being fed, a pair of electrodes for producing a spark in the air jet as it issues from the nozzle to ionize the air of the et, and a protector enclosing the nozzle and projecting outwardly beyond the discharge end thereof.

5. The combination of a paper feeding means propelling a sheet of paper along a given line of travel, an air nozzle adjacent the edge of the moving sheet to directa jet of air edgewise of the sheet and divided by the sheet whereby the air sweeps both sides of the sheet, Y

means for ionizing the air, and a hood enclosing said sheet for a portiomof its travel for confining the ionized air adjacent the sides of the sheet.

' HERBERT L. THOMSON. 

